Chapter 17

“Entrance exam… How should I do this?”

After leaving the cafeteria, I stepped outside the building and sat on a nearby bench.

“…Seriously, what should I do?”

I watched the slowly setting sun, trying to find an answer.

But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come up with a good idea.

“How am I supposed to block Lisa’s strike?”

The entrance exam for the Disciplinary Committee was, in fact, very simple.

You just had to block one attack from Lisa.

All you had to do was endure a single strike.

When you heard it like that, it sounded easy enough, but…

‘There’s no one in this academy who can withstand the sword of House Balmuth. Yeah, definitely no one.’

I’d seen it in the game, and it was officially stated in the setting materials too.

It was nearly impossible to withstand Lisa’s attack through normal means.

And that was because…

‘The Balmuth family uses swordsmanship that relies purely on brute force.’

Since they wielded greatswords, the Balmuth style was generally on the slower side.

But they overcame that weakness with sheer overwhelming strength.

Their power was so dominant that, if a blow landed properly, most opponents went down in one hit.

Simply put, it was swordsmanship that aimed for a “one-hit kill.”

‘I’ve raised a character from the Balmuth family before, so I know it well.’

It felt sluggish and frustrating at times, but that one powerful strike was incredibly satisfying.

And now, I had to block that very strike.

‘Is it even realistically possible for me to block it?’

When I played through the Disciplinary Committee route, I always blocked it as if it were nothing.

The character I controlled just withstood Lisa’s sword without any preparation.

‘While everyone else failed and gave up, my character blocked Lisa’s greatsword thanks to protagonist correction.’

In the Disciplinary Committee storyline, they said it was blocked through sheer willpower.

No further explanation, completely ignoring logic.

It was simply written off as “the protagonist was special.”

When I played the game, I never questioned it, but now that I was actually in this situation, it was absurd.

‘Damn it, how the hell did he block it?’

I wanted to call over the person who wrote that story and ask if they’d thrown logic out the window.

But right now, there wasn’t much I could do.

‘I did choose the Disciplinary Committee route… but actually doing it feels impossible.’

The Disciplinary Committee route was the fastest and simplest path to becoming a knight.

That’s why I’d chosen it, but remembering how all the other students got knocked out made me reconsider.

I was starting to doubt if this was really the easiest route.

‘No, it is the easiest route. If I can just get into the Disciplinary Committee, it’ll be the simplest path forward.’

The problem was that getting in itself was extremely difficult right now.

I sighed and tried to reorganize my thoughts.

‘In the game, I passed the entrance exam easily thanks to protagonist correction. But do I even have something like that now?’

Maybe I did, but maybe I didn’t.

Betting everything on the chance that I had protagonist correction and showing up unprepared… that was reckless.

I needed a better plan.

‘Thursday. That means I have two days to find a realistic way to block Lisa’s attack.’

There was no way I could massively increase my strength in two days.

Unless I took some kind of drug—no, even with one, my strength wouldn’t skyrocket overnight…

“…Wait a second. Actually, it is possible right now.”

If I used drugs to increase my strength, then yes, it was possible.

Because Strength Enhancement Potions could temporarily raise physical power.

‘And if I also take a Defense Enhancement Potion, I can probably lessen the shock from Lisa’s strike.’

A Strength Enhancement Potion and a Defense Enhancement Potion.

If I had both, maybe—just maybe—I could withstand Lisa’s attack.

But that brought up another problem.

‘How do I even get those potions?’

This world had surprisingly strict regulations on drugs and potions. Academy students couldn’t just buy them freely.

There were no potion shops inside the Academy, and places to make them were even more restricted.

‘I know the ingredients and recipes for both Strength and Defense Enhancement Potions. I’ve made them plenty of times before, so I remember everything…’

So, ingredients weren’t the problem.

I could buy them in Daigon Village.

But to make potions, I needed a special cauldron designed for potion brewing.

And that cauldron wasn’t easy to find.

‘Should I sneak into the magic classroom and steal one? Or maybe from the Potion Brewing Club?’

Stealing seemed like the best option, but that idea had a lot of issues too.

If I got caught stealing, I’d be in huge trouble—forget about the Disciplinary Committee.

There had to be another way…

“Gideon. What are you doing here?”

“…Lady Layla?”

“Why are you sitting here alone, looking so serious?”

The blonde girl smiled brightly and sat beside me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Is something wrong?”

“Nothing in particular. I was just thinking for a bit.”

“Thinking about what?”

“It’s nothing important. More importantly, why are you here by yourself, Lady Layla?”

“Hmm… because I had nothing to do? Lisa, Jason, and Sara went to the training grounds, so I was bored. Then I saw you walking around.”

“I see.”

“Yeah. But still, why the gloomy face?”

“Well, it’s just that…”

I was about to brush it off with some random excuse, but then something struck me.

Come to think of it, Layla’s club was…

“…Lady Layla.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Would it be all right if I made a request—if I asked you for a favor?”

“Huh? You mean, you want to ask me for something?”

Layla looked at me with genuine surprise.

I waited quietly for her response.

Normally, royalty would’ve ignored my request outright.

Or worse, taken offense at the very idea that someone dared to ask them for something.

So under normal circumstances, I never would’ve even considered it.

With normal royalty, that is.

“Oh, what kind of favor? What is it? Is it something I can help you with?”

Layla was different from the usual royalty.

When I said I wanted to ask her for a favor, her eyes sparkled with excitement.

As if she was genuinely touched that someone wanted to ask her for help.

‘Right. Layla was this kind of person.’

Someone who sought genuine, ordinary interactions—not the treatment of a royal.

A princess who longed for normal human relationships—that was Layla.

“Gideon, I brought the things you asked for. Are these right?”

“Yes, they look about right.”

I quickly checked through the items Layla had brought.

Two potion-making cauldrons, and then…

‘Raven Stone, Mandrake Flower Extract, Dried Peppermint Blossoms, Ashwinder Bone Powder, Firefly Wings, and Thunder Crystal Dust.’

I was finally seeing in real life the ingredients I’d only ever seen in the game.

It was fascinating, but first, I bowed my head respectfully to Layla.

“Yes, these are perfect. Thank you once again for going through all this trouble for me.”

“Aww, it’s nothing. Hehe. I’m glad I could help.”

Layla laughed cheerfully, as if she was truly happy to be of use.

“By the way, did anyone say anything when you took these from the clubroom?”

“Nope. When I said I wanted to borrow them for a bit, the club president told me to use as much as I wanted.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear.”

Honestly, the Potion Brewing Club’s president probably had no choice in the matter.

The Princess of the Empire wanted to borrow some club supplies—of course they had to let her.

If I were them, I would’ve said the same: “Use whatever you like.”

“By the way, Gideon. What are you trying to make with all that? And in such a hidden place like this?”

Layla looked around and asked me curiously.

Just as she said, we had come all the way to one of the remote corners of the Academy’s grand castle.

“I’m planning to start serious training tomorrow, and I wanted to make some potions that could help with the workout.”

“Ohh, really?”

“Yes. I intend to make two kinds of potions that are effective for muscle fatigue and recovery.”

I set up alcohol lamps under the cauldrons and lit them.

“Let’s see… three cups of water for one, five for the other. Grind all the stones into powder…”

I sat cross-legged on the ground and began the potion-making process.

Having brewed countless potions over the years, I had completely memorized the recipes for several of them.

Among those were the Strength Enhancement Potion and the Defense Enhancement Potion.

‘Both need to boil on high heat for five minutes… stir the Strength Enhancement Potion eight times clockwise, and the Defense Enhancement Potion five times counterclockwise.’

Honestly, I might’ve been a bit of a maniac gamer.

The fact that I still remembered all this was… impressive, in a pathetic sort of way.

“Oh, Gideon. You’re interested in potion-making too?”

“Yes, I developed an interest in it while traveling across various regions when I was younger.”

I worked carefully, and Layla sat beside me, watching in fascination.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable sitting on the ground? You can sit on my mat if you want…”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. Really. But you’re good at this. I think you might even be better than me.”

“Ah, really?”

It was actually my first time physically making potions, but I didn’t mention that.

Still, as I stirred, I couldn’t help thinking—I might really be good at this.

Maybe the body I’d transmigrated into had a natural talent for potion-making…

“Wow! You’re amazing! Hey, if you fail the Disciplinary Committee test, want to join the Potion Brewing Club instead of the Swordsmanship Club?”

“That doesn’t sound bad.”

Honestly, it was a pretty good idea.

The Potion Brewing Club had many students from prestigious families.

It was one of the best clubs for building connections.

“If I fail the entrance exam, I’ll definitely consider applying.”

“Hehe, great. I think club life with you would be pretty fun.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

Smiling, I focused again on my work.

The Strength Enhancement Potion and Defense Enhancement Potion weren’t particularly difficult to make.

Normally, they’d come out fine just like this, but…

‘…Will it work? It did in the game.’

Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to alter the recipe slightly.

In this world, potion-making wasn’t just about ingredients. The stirring direction, number of rotations, and even timing mattered.

It was basically a rhythm game—the results could change completely based on how you stirred.

And I… knew a lot of bugs related to potion crafting.

‘Every time I reported those bugs, the devs ignored them. They never fixed potion-related glitches.’

So among players, there was a rumor that those bugs weren’t actually bugs, but hidden features the developers left in.

Whatever the truth, I knew several bugs that could easily create overpowered potions.

‘Since I’m already making a Strength Enhancement Potion… if I use the bug here, I should be able to make an Elixir.’

For reference, an Elixir was the most powerful healing potion in the game.

According to the lore, it could even completely heal fatal wounds—a priceless item.

In short, it was incredibly valuable. And if I could reproduce it here as easily as in the game… it’d give me a huge advantage.

‘Honestly, it probably won’t work… but I’ve got nothing to lose.’

In the cauldron where the Strength Enhancement Potion ingredients were boiling, I stirred the mixture once clockwise, then pulled out the stick.

Then I inserted it again and stirred it once counterclockwise.

After a short pause, I repeated the process in reverse—again and again.

“Umm, Gideon? What are you doing?”

“I’m making the potion.”

“I can see that, but… are potions normally made like this? I’ve never seen anyone stir it like that before.”

“Yes, you probably haven’t. This is… you could say, a method unique to me.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie.

No one in this world brewed potions like this, that was for sure.

As I repeated the strange motion, inserting and removing the stick, the color of the potion began to change.

The red liquid gradually turned purple.

‘Wait, what? It actually works?’

The moment I saw that familiar purple hue, I realized the bug really did exist here.

After about thirty repetitions of the process—

‘…It worked.’

Faint light began to shimmer within the purple liquid.

That glow—the mark of a true Elixir.

I didn’t know why it worked, but I’d successfully created an Elixir using a bug.

‘If this bug works, there might be others that still function too… I could use this to my advantage.’

After all, I was a veteran who knew all the unfixed bugs from the game.

If I used them wisely…

“Gi-Gideon? How did you make this potion?”

“Ah, well, that is… a mistake.”

I quickly poured the potion into a glass bottle before Layla could look any closer.

In my focus on exploiting the bug, I’d completely forgotten she was there.

And Layla was someone with quite a deep interest in potion-making.

The moment she saw the potion turn purple, she must have sensed something was off.

“A mistake? But potions that glow like this are top-grade! And this purple color… it’s an Elixir, isn’t it?”

“Uh… well…”

“How did you do it? It’s impossible to make an Elixir from those ingredients. Don’t you need a Phoenix’s Tear for that?”

“Hmm…”

I quickly started thinking.

More precisely, I recalled the “Harem King” route I’d played before—the one where I’d learned about Layla’s personality in detail.

If she was anything like that version…

“…Lady Layla.”

“Yeah?”

“This is, as you said… indeed an Elixir.”

“R-right? I knew it!”

“Yes. And I’d appreciate it if you could keep the fact that I made an Elixir with such ingredients… a secret.”

Layla tilted her head.

“Hmm, but wouldn’t it be better to tell someone? If you can make Elixirs out of cheap ingredients, the Empire would…”

“I also know how to easily make a few other top-tier potions—and some recipes unknown to the world. If you keep today’s discovery a secret, I’ll share those unique methods only with you, Lady Layla.”

“…Only with me?”

“Yes, only with you. And once you learn them, you can earn great honor through them.”

“Honor…”

One thing I knew about her—compared to her other siblings, Layla was quite ordinary.

Her brothers and sisters each had strong personalities and exceptional talents, but Layla… aside from being a Princess, was normal.

She always acted cheerful, but deep down, that fact bothered her.

‘If I offer her a chance to become a prodigy in potion-making… she’ll take it.’

Layla wouldn’t let that opportunity slip—and she’d keep my secret.

And that was exactly what I needed.

Elixirs were, to exaggerate a bit, miraculous potions that could bring the dying back to life.

If such a potion could be mass-produced cheaply… who knew how it would change the world?

Since I now knew I could make it using a bug, it was smarter to use that advantage first—milk it for all it was worth—and then decide whether to reveal it later.

“O-okay. I’ll keep what I saw today a secret. But later, you have to teach me your personal potion recipes—and the trick to making Elixirs easily.”

“Understood. I’ll set aside a day later to personally teach you a few of my methods.”

With that, I tucked the bottle containing the Elixir safely into my bag and refocused on brewing.

This time, I returned to my original purpose—making the Strength Enhancement Potion.

“What are you making now?”

“The ones I originally planned to make—potions that are useful during training.”

“I see. But Gideon, you’re from the Serenus Region, right? Any chance you’ve got Elf blood in your ancestry? The Elves were the originators of potion-making, and seeing you work, it kind of feels like…”

“Oh, nothing like that.”

After that, Layla kept glancing at me, clearly intrigued.

But aside from that, we chatted casually as usual.

And as we talked, I successfully finished the two potions I’d originally intended to make.

“I’ll clean these cauldrons thoroughly and return them to you tomorrow morning.”

I carefully poured the finished potions into glass bottles.

“Thank you again for helping me today, Lady Layla.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. If anything, I should be thanking you—I got to see something amazing.”

Layla glanced at the bag holding the Elixir and said,

“And don’t forget your promise. I’ll keep today a secret, so later you have to teach me how to make Elixirs easily… and those other potion recipes too, got it?”

“As I said, I’ll personally teach you some recipes another day.”

After chatting briefly, we went our separate ways.

I wasn’t sure where Layla went, but I headed straight back to the dormitory.

The moment I entered my room, I carefully hid the Elixir inside my wardrobe.

Then I took a drop of each of the two other potions I’d made.

Would they really work…?

“…It worked.”

The moment I drank them, I could feel the effects coursing through my body.

If I used these potions well… I could definitely take advantage of them in the upcoming entrance exam.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep